Tasmania have one hand on their second FR Cup title in three seasons after Tim Paine's century drove them to 6 for 304 at the MCG. A lacklustre Victorian effort in the field left the hosts needing everything to go right in their chase if they are to avoid losing the one-day final for the fourth consecutive summer.
Paine and Michael Dighton set up the big total with a 132-run opening stand that made Victoria pay for dropping Dighton twice. The wicketkeeper Matthew Wade should have had Dighton on 9 when he put down a one-handed opportunity off Darren Pattinson and the batsman had another life on 42 when he cut to point and Aiden Blizzard spilled a straightforward chance low to the ground.
Dighton was in a belligerent batting mood and forced boundaries all around the ground, including one straight down the ground that nearly struck the bowler John Hastings in the head. Dighton was the dominant man in the opening partnership and the scoring rate slowed when he was bowled by Hastings for 80 from 91 balls.
Hastings picked up George Bailey soon afterwards, although the Tasmanian captain was unlucky to be given out caught behind off his arm from a slower bouncer. Paine and Ed Cowan set about guiding Tasmania to an imposing total and Cowan took on the aggressor's role with a six off Bryce McGain and he ended up with 61 from 55 deliveries.
But it was Paine who anchored Tasmania's innings with a controlled and relatively risk-free performance and his century came from 117 balls. He fell from his next delivery when Wade snared an edge behind up to the stumps off Andrew McDonald.
Wade was even sharper with a leg-side stumping off McDonald to get rid of Jason Krejza and a direct-hit from the boundary from Blizzard found Brendan Drew short. It was a good comeback from the two men who had dropped catches but Victoria still needed something special from their batsmen to stop Tasmania taking home the trophy.